Raincoat for mailmen



Feb. 6, 1951 J, w. ow 2,540,448

RAINCOAT FOR MAILMEN Filed Sept. 22, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JEWKc zrcvw" M QLM ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1951 J. E. w. KAROW RAINCOAT FUR MAILMEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 22, 1949 Illllllll lllllli'l.\llil rlIIIIlllllll|lilillllllvl" INVENTOR JE. Wlfzzrow- BY Z? ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAINCOAT FOR MAILMEN Julius E. W. Kai-ow, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application September 22, 1949, Serial No. 117,138

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a raincoat for mailmen. 1

An object of this invention is to provide a raincoat which is so designed that a mail bag may be carried therebeneath, and the mail may be kept dry.

Another object of this invention is to provide a raincoat which is formed with a slit in one side of the front, and that side of the coat is also enlarged below the slit so that the garment will readily engage about the mail bag. One edge of the slit is provided with one or more hooks to engage the upper edge of the bag, and a transparent flap or cover is secured to the coat above the slit. The flap loosely extends over the upper end of the bag and is adapted to be secured by detachable fastening means to the lower coat panel beneath the slit with the opposite ends of the flap free so that the carrier may insert both hands beneath the flap for removing the mail and viewing the addresses on the mail through the transparent flap.

A further object of this invention is to provide a raincoat of this kind wherein the enlarged side portion of the coat may be folded over and secured in folded position so that the coat may be worn in the conventional manner and will not appear unusual.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation. partly broken away, of a raincoat designed for use by mail carriers,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the coat with a mail bag therebeneath,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the coat with the enlarged side portion folded for normal use of the coat.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I 0 designates generally a back panel and the numerals II and I2 designate generally a pair of front panels. A pair of sleeves I3 are secured to the front and rear panels and are of conventional construction.

In order to provide a means whereby a mail carrier may carry a mail bag beneath the garment and remove mail from the bag in addition to viewing the addresses on the mail without exposing the mail to rain, the front panel I2 is provided with an enlarged lower panel portion I4 and a slit I5 is formed in the front panel I2, extending horizontally from a point outwardly of the inner free edge thereof.

An extension piece It is carried by the panel member I2 along the slit portion of the panel, and the extension piece I6 is provided with a plurality of fastener elements 24. The enlarged portion I I is provided with a pair of hooks I8 which are adapted to engage over the upper outer edge of a mail bag B. The hooks I8 prevent the lower edge of the slit from dropping downwardly and hold the enlarged panel portion I2 snugly about the bag B.

A transparent flap I9 is stitched as at 20 along its upper edge to the panel I2 above the slit I5, and the flap I9 has secured to the lower edge thereof a plurality of fastener elements 2I which are engageable with complementary fastener elements 22 carried by the upper portion of the enlarged panel member I4. When the flap I9 is secured by the fastener elements 2| and 22 to the panel portion I 4 with the bag B in position opening outwardly of slit I5, the flap III will form a transparent tunnel which is open at each end, as shown in Figure 4, so that either or both hands of the mail carrier may be extended underneath the flap I9.

When it is desired to use the garment without a mail bag therebeneath, the enlarged front panel member or portion I4 is vertically folded as shown in Figure 6, and the folded portions are secured together by fastener members 23 being secured to confronting fastener elements 24 carried by extension I6, and fastener element 24 carried by portion I I engaging with one of the fastener elements 22. It will, of course, be understood that the garment is made of water repellant material which may be either Waterproof fabric or plastic material, and that the enlarged panel portion I4 may be disposed on either side of the front of the garment.

In the use of this garment, the bag is first supported from the shoulder in the conventional manner, and when the garment is applied the bag B will be disposed in the position shown in Figure 4. The hooks I8 are hooked over the upper outer edge of the bag B, and the flap I9 is secured by the fastener members 2I and 22 to the bulged lower front panel member I4. The flap I9 is of flexible transparent material and when 3 the flap I9 is secured, as shown in Figure 4, both ends of the tunnel formed by the flap 19 will be open so that both hands may be extended into the tunnel and beneath the flap to remove mail and to view the mail through the transparent flap.

With a garment as hereinbefore described, the mail carrier can readily manipulate both hands under the transparent cover, read the addresses through the transparent cover, keep the mail dry and have it ready upon arrival at next stop, thereby expediting delivery.

When the carrier desires to use the garment without a bag therebeneath the enlarged panel portion 14 is folded after the manner disclosed in Figure 6, and the folded portions secured together and to the panel extension l6. Various types of fastening means may be used to secure the garment portions together, such as fastening means including snap fastener elements, buttons, i.

inter-engageable fastening means or the like.

When it is desired to use the garment without a bag underneath, the enlarged panel portion is folded and the folded portions secured together and to the panel extension l6 by any of various types of fastening means.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A carrier garment comprising a back panel, a pair of front panels, a pair of sleeves, one of said front panels having a horizontally disposed slit in the upper portion thereof, a transparent flap fixed to said one panel above said slit, and means securing the lower portion of said flap to the lower panel beneath said slit, the opposite vertical edges of said flap being free to thereby admit positioning one or both hands under said flap for removing mail from a bag which has the upper end thereof disposed in said slit.

2. A carrier garment comprising a back panel, a pair of front panels, a pair of sleeves, one of said front panels having a horizontally disposed slit in the upper portion thereof, the lower edge of said slit being longer than the upper edge thereof whereby the open mouth of a bag carried beneath the garment will be encompassed, and a transparent flap fixed to said one panel above 4 said slit and engageable over the mouth of the bag.

3. A raincoat for mail carriers comprising a garment formed of a back panel, a pair of front panels, and a pair of sleeves, one of said front panels having a horizontal slit adjacent the upper portion thereof, the lower edge of said slit being longer than the upper edge whereby a bag carried beneath the garment will expand said slit to thereby dispose the upper end of the bag in the opening formed by said slit, a transparent flap secured to said one panel above said slit and having a length to normally extend below said slit, and fastening means securing the lower portion of said flap to the expanded lower panel beneath said slit.

4. A raincoat for mail carriers comprising a garment formed of a back panel, a pair of front panels, and a pair of sleeves, one of said front panels having a horizontal slit adjacent the upper portion thereof, the lower edge of said slit being longer than the upper edge whereby a bag carried beneath the garment will expand said slit to thereby dispose the upper end of the bag in the opening formed by said slit, a transparent flap secured to said one panel above said slit and having a length to normally extend below said slit, fastening means securing the lower portion of said flap to the expanded lower panel beneath said slit, and a pair of hooks carried by said one panel along the lower edge of said slit engageable with the outer upper edge of the bag to thereby hold said lower edge of said slit firmly to the bag.

5. A raincoat for foot mail carriers comprising a garment formed of a. back panel, a pair of front panels, and a pair of sleeves, one of said front panels having a horizontal slit adjacent the upper portion thereof, the lower edge of said slit being longer than the upper edge, whereby an expansion in said garment is formed intended to envelope 9, mail bag or the like, a transparent flap secured to said one panel above said slit and having a length to normally extend below said slit, and fastening devices securing the lower portion of said flap to the expanded lower panel beneath said slit.

JULIUS E. W. KAROW.

No references cited. 

